Kite



29 1950 B. B. WISNEY 2,520,704

' KITE Filed Aug. 2'7, 1948 INVENTOR: Bruno B. Wisney,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KITE Bruno B. Wisney,Detroit, Mich.

Application August 27, 1948, Serial No. 46,389

My improvement pertains to kites in which a body plane of theconventional design is combined with certain novel elements for thepurpose of increasing its operative efficiency. The novelty of mystructural design of the kite consists in the inclusion in the bodyplane of the kite of one or a number of truncated cones as I willpresently describe. The object of the modification is to provide meanswhereby the kite will automatically adjust itself to the strength of theair currents supporting the body plane in the air. A further object ofmy invention is to provide a kite which, retaining the basic design ofthe body plane, can be manufactured out of materials easily available,and which can be sold at an attractive price in trade. Another object isto provide a kite which because of its construction will resist thetendency for sudden edgewise movements, or unexpected downward dives. Ishall now describe my improvement with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved kite;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modified species of my kite.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the kite shown in Fig. 2 with apart thereof broken off;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the top portion of a cone-shaped member ofmy kite;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a fragment of a cone, mounted on the bodyplane of my kite and disclosing a modified closure for the narrow end ofsaid cone.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body of the plane In which henceforth will be referred to as theplane, is made of a suitable sheet material such as paper, plastic,metal foil or the like. To present a flat surface the material isstretched on a light frame. This is made of two ribs I l and [2, thefirst of which is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the plane, andthe other of which, [2, rosses the longitudinal rib at right angle, asbest shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of the ribs are joined by cords orthin strips to form the sides of said framework, said sides being markeda, a, and b, b, respectively. The apex l3 of the kite is formed at thejunction of sides a and a. The countertip M, at the lower extremity ofthe kite is formed at the junction of sides b and b. A length of cord15, joining the apex to the lower tip of the kite, is tied to theanchoring string l5a on what is the front side of the kite.

Up to now I have described features ordinarily 3 Claims. (Cl. 244-453)employed in conventional kites. I shall now refer to the novel elementsincorporated by me into the structural design of my improved kite. Inthe preferred embodiment of my improvement, the body plane of the kiteis provided with two circular apertures 23 each opening into a cone ison the back side of the plane as shown in Fig. 1. As a, result of thisformation the inner surfaces of the cones supplement the flat surface ofplane IE3, thus increasing the lifting power of the kite. The narrow endof each cone'is normally closed by a cap I! hinged at l8, and kept in aclosed position by a light wire spring I9. In Fig. 2 I show a modifiedform of my kite including only one centrally located cone 2!. In Fig. 5I show a cap 20 hinged at 2!, and provided with a weight 22 to keep thecap normally closed. Numeral 28 shows the cap in its open position.

As already indicated, the cones serve a certain definite purpose. Forone thing they add to the area of the surface of the plane. For anotherthing they serve to stabilize the plane in currents of variableintensity. Should the pressure of air currents bearing against the frontsurface of the plane rise to a degree that might ordinarily result inthe breaking of the anchoring-string, or in damage to the fabric of theplane, the caps closing the narrow ends of the cones will open againstthe tension of springs or weights keeping said caps closed, permittingthe escape of some of the air, and thereby reducing the pressure againstthe plane. This will permit the kite to be flown on very windy dayswithout the danger of having it damaged, because some of the wind whichwould ordinarily exert pressure on thekite, will just pass through thecone.

While in the kites illustrated by me I have shown closures in the formof a cap actuated by weights or springs, it will be understood thatother means of closing the cones may be devised, such for instance asmovable plugs or resilient clips by means of which the narrow ends ofthe cones may be pinched in a normally closed or partly-closed position.It will be also understood that some other changes may be made in thestructure of my kite without departing from the inventive principledisclosed herein. What I therefore wish to claim is as follows:

1. A kite of the kind described, comprising a body plane of sheetmaterial, the body being provided with two circular apertures disposedsymmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plane, ahollow truncated cone open at plane made of sheet material stretched onaframe, the plane being provided with a plurality of circular aperturestherein, a hollow truncated cone, open at both ends, based over eachaperture on the back surface of the plane and at right; angle thereto,and a spring actuated member hinged to the narrow end of the cone tokeepit normally closed but yielding to air pressure to open it for'passageof air rearwardly of the plane.

3. A kite having a body plane and hollow truncated cones open at bothends and based on the back surface of thelplane, said plane beingprovided" with circular" apertures each beingv alined 4 and opening intoa respective cone, the narrow end of each cone being provided with adisk shaped closure hinged to said end and adapted. to be opened bypressure of air currents directed against the front surface of theplane.

BRUNO B. WISNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 354,098 Colby Dec. 14, 18861,734,493 Knott Nov. 5, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28, 518France Nov. 26, 1921 .(Addition to No. 544,865) 325,212

France}; e Jan 7,19%

